201305.pdf 43279KB May 08 2013 11:07:04 PM

Special Sectionvs.Resolving designchain supply chainconflictsBy Barbara JorgensenThe modern supply chain couldbenefit from a 3-D simulationtool. The process is no longerlinear: A better model might bethe known galaxy, with a bunch ofsuppliers (planets) circling arounda sun (the customer). But a supply-chain analysishas to start somewhere, and for the sake of theelectronics supply chain, it starts with the designengineer.EBN and Velocity have been examining stepsand strategies to build an effective supply chain.“Effective” means different things to differentconstituents: For engineers, it’s a wide choice ofproducts, technical support, and fast prototyping;for buyers, it’s quality, price, and dependability; forcustomers, it’s all of these, plus aftermarket services.Each partner has a specific role to play and awish list on how things could work better.Design engineers traditionally haven’t been apart of the classic supply chain. The process usedto begin when a design was done and purchasingdeveloped the BOM. But engineering responsibilitieshave expanded over the years. Designersnow have to consider the price of the componentsthey’re using, the life cycle of these parts, compliancewith environmental mandates such as RoHS,and a host of other issues. Engineers, like everybodyelse, are being asked to do more with lessat a faster pace than ever. So what would make adesigner’s job more efficient?A study conducted by Technology ForecastersInc found that engineers visited 25 or more websitesbefore even starting a design. Engineers arelooking for new parts, the price and availability ofthese parts, potential end-of-life (EOL) issues, andenvironmental sustainability. In a perfect world,all of this information would be available uponvisiting just a few sites. But it’s not. Suppliers havetheir own websites with their parts; distributorshost sites that feature their franchises; and somesites focus only on new products, while others focuson maintenance, repairs, and overhaul (MRO).Most sites now host the RoHS status of devices,but there are currently different RoHS standardsfor different countries.Then there’s the data itself. Engineers can finddata sheets at suppliers’ sites, distributor sites,and third-party sites. But not all data sheets arecreated equal. Some sites just aggregate suppliers’data, which may get out of date. Distributor sitesare timelier—they get EOL notices from suppliers—butdata may be organized by supplier, bytechnology, or by application. Suppliers may ormay not provide tech support. Distributors usuallydo, but they may steer engineers toward a specificcomponent. Worse, a sales rep might call on anengineer who was just making an inquiry.Environmental compliance data is usuallyavailable through suppliers and distributors, andis also compiled at consultancy, government, andnon-government-organization (NGO) sites. Somesites cross-reference compliance status with actualdevices, while others provide general guidelines.Engineering research could be made easier bycompiling real-time component data at one masterBarbaraJorgensenShutterStockS-12 Top 25 Global Distributors May 2013